San Diego Zest FC

Last updated
San Diego Zest FC
LAGSDZ Logo.png
Full nameSan Diego Zest FC
Founded2016;8 years ago (2016)
StadiumMultiple [1]
OwnersSan Diego Sports Authority
Head Coach Flag of South Korea.svg Jaewoo Kim
League USL League Two
2019 7th, Southwest Division
Playoffs: DNQ
Website Club website

San Diego Zest FC is an American soccer team in San Diego, California, United States. The club was founded in 2016 and is owned and operated by San Diego Sports Authority, a Japanese-owned sports management company. They compete as LA Galaxy SD Zest in USL League Two and play their home matches at James Madison High School's George Hoagland Stadium. The team colors are Orange and Navy.

Contents

History

The San Diego Zest FC was established in 2016 by a sports management company called San Diego Sports Authority, hereafter SDSA, located at San Diego, CA. The project was started in 2014 with aim of developing the local community soccer level and providing Japanese soccer players the path to pro in the U.S. On January 21, 2016, the USL PDL announced that it had awarded the franchise to San Diego Zest FC, starting with the 2016 season. [2] "San Diego has for a long time been a target city for the USL PDL, we are very excited the outstanding leadership of the San Diego Sports Authority will be the group that brings the league to a great soccer city, and are looking forward to working with the club for many years to come.” said league director Todd Eason.

2016: Inaugural Season

Zest FC players celebrate after defeating FC Golden State Force 5-1 during its 2016 season regular season match. ZestFCMatchPhoto.jpg
Zest FC players celebrate after defeating FC Golden State Force 5–1 during its 2016 season regular season match.
Erik Holt had an interview with SV Horn's owner Keisuke Honda after he proved his high performance to them at Horn's professional tryout. SV Horn Tryout 1.png
Erik Holt had an interview with SV Horn's owner Keisuke Honda after he proved his high performance to them at Horn's professional tryout.

2017: Second Season

Introduced Women's Team To Compete in 2018

  • On May 22, 2017, San Diego Zest FC announced the founding of an all woman's team to compete in the Women's Premier Soccer League, WPSL, starting in the 2018 season. The sister club of the San Diego Zest will hope to emulate the same success their founding team who are competing in their second season as members of the USL PDL.

New Ownership of Montenegrin Third Division Club FK Adria

  • On October 4, San Diego Zest FC announced its new ownership of Montenegro soccer club, FK Adria, launched and started competing in the Montenegrin Third League in the 2017–2018 season. FK Adria, named after the Adriatic Sea, has a mission to groom people to be successful individuals, even after their playing careers have ended, at the international level by implementing a vision that includes what the team calls "character-building through soccer.

Partnership with Los Angeles Galaxy San Diego

  • San Diego Zest FC announced a new partnership with Los Angeles Galaxy San Diego on November 17th. Zest FC and LA Galaxy San Diego are committed to benefiting each other through cooperation and developing good sportsmanship within the athletes while promoting enthusiasm within the community locally, nationally, and internationally through soccer.

U.S. Pro Soccer Combine in Japan

  • San Diego Zest FC hosted a 2-Day U.S. Pro Soccer Combine on December 16th and 17th in Fukuoka, Japan. Four clubs from USL Championship including Charleston Battery, Richmond Kickers, North Carolina FC and Nashville SC. attended for scouting Asian talents. Several players from the combine were invited to each club's second tryout.
    Four of USL coaches came over to Fukuoka. USL-Coaches.jpg
    Four of USL coaches came over to Fukuoka.
    A lot of talented Japanese and Korean players participated in the Pro combine in Fukuoka. US-Pro-Soccer-Combine-In-Japan 1.jpg
    A lot of talented Japanese and Korean players participated in the Pro combine in Fukuoka.

2018: Third Season

Zest FC Women Announces New Affiliation with Japan's First Division Club AC Nagano Parceiro Ladies

  • San Diego Zest FC has announced that its women’s team, San Diego Zest FC Women, which will be competing its inaugural season in Women’s Premier Soccer League this summer, has affiliated with Japanese club AC Nagano Parceiro Ladies, which currently competes in Japan’s women’s first division. AC Nagano Parceiro Ladies was established in 2000. The team is owned by AC Nagano Parceiro, which competes in Japan’s Men’s third division, J3 League. Former Parceiro Ladies player, Kumi Yokohama, has been selected for Japan’s national team squad since 2015 and currently plays for FFC Frankfurt, which competes in the first division of Women’s Bundesliga.
San Diego Parceiro Ladies had a first win on May 20 in their season opener match against San Diego WFC Sealions. Sdpl-060818.jpg
San Diego Parceiro Ladies had a first win on May 20 in their season opener match against San Diego WFC Sealions.

Year-by-year

YearDivisionLeagueRegular SeasonPlayoffsOpen Cup
20164USL PDL2nd, SouthwestDivisional PlayoffDid not enter
20174USL PDL7th, SouthwestDid not qualifyFirst round
20184USL PDL8th, SouthwestDid not qualifyDid not qualify
20194USL League Two7th, SouthwestDid not qualifyDid not qualify

Head coaches

Coaching Staff

RoleNameNation
Head CoachJaewoo KimFlag of South Korea.svg  South Korea
Assistant CoachJake RowleyFlag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
Assistant CoachDong Rack KimFlag of South Korea.svg  South Korea

Players

As of May 3,2019 [6] [7] [8] [9]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.Squad correct as of May 3, 2019.

No.Pos.Player Nation
1 GK Rodrigo SarmientoFlag of the United States.svg  United States
2 DF Jamie PickFlag of the United States.svg  United States
3 DF Abdoulaye CissokoFlag of France.svg  France
4 DF Kelee Cornfield-SaundersFlag of the United States.svg  United States
5 DF Tosh Samkange Flag of the United States.svg  United States
6 MF Sam TurnerFlag of the United States.svg  United States
8 MF Brandon SantelFlag of the United States.svg  United States
9 FW Vardhin ManojFlag of the United States.svg  United States
11 FW Sungyong JungFlag of South Korea.svg  South Korea
12 DF Joe DaluzFlag of the United States.svg  United States
13 MF Andy SartorFlag of the United States.svg  United States
14 MF Lee SeongYong Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea
15 FW Kazuma SuzukiFlag of Japan.svg  Japan
16 DF Griffin Mallas Flag of the United States.svg  United States
17 MF Erick GonzalezFlag of the United States.svg  United States
18 MF Hanif WrightFlag of the United States.svg  United States
19 DF Santiago MajewskiFlag of the United States.svg  United States
20 MF Shizu YohenaFlag of Japan.svg  Japan
21 MF Nicolas BriereFlag of France.svg  France
22 MF Landen CarlsonFlag of the United States.svg  United States
23 DF Christopher Brusenback Flag of the United States.svg  United States

Notable former players

This list of notable former players comprises players who went on to play professional soccer after playing for the team in the Premier Development League, or those who previously played professionally before joining the team.

Average Attendance

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References

  1. ↑ "Schedule USL PDL Squad | San Diego Zest FC". Archived from the original on 2018-03-14. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
  2. ↑ "PDL Awards Franchise to San Diego". Premier Development League (PDL). January 21, 2016. Retrieved February 16, 2016.
  3. ↑ Staff, PDL (2016-07-29). "2016 PDL All-Western Conference Team". USL PDL. Retrieved 2017-09-16.
  4. ↑ Communications, Phoenix Rising FC (2016-12-16). "Phoenix Rising FC Bolster Attack With Signing of Matthew Hurlow-Paonessa". Phoenix Rising FC | Arizona's Highest Level Professional Soccer Team. Retrieved 2017-09-16.
  5. ↑ San Diego Zest Coaching Staff Archived 2016-06-29 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ↑ "Players | FC Tucson". fctucson.com. Archived from the original on 2012-02-11.
  7. ↑ "FC Tucson Completes Preseason Singings". Archived from the original on 2016-05-30. Retrieved 2016-05-27.
  8. ↑ FC Tucson Signs Six More Players
  9. ↑ Preseason Invitees Signed to Roster
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